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Marshall, Johnson headline the one and only PPR spectacular

For the sake of tradition, we present the ultimate guide for Points Per Reception leagues. Every section -- minus the salute to Tommy Kramer/Ahmad Rashad -- has one singular focus: To help you dominate your PPR drafts, which should occur after Week 3 of the preseason. But in case you've already scheduled a draft, here's the good word on PPR stars such as Andre Johnson, Brandon Marshall, Jamaal Charles, Reggie Bush, Percy Harvin, Dexter McCluster and the otherSteve Smith, to name a few.

1. Always Be Thinking Receiver Obviously, you'll need quarterbacks, running backs, defenses/special teams to complement receivers and tight ends on PPR rosters. But no matter the round, you should always be pondering the next WR move, or at least factoring in how each draft pick adds value to the PPR format. Do my running backs have the capacity for four or more catches a game?Do I want to start a wide receiver in the RB/WR flex position?Will my QB regularly complete 21 or more passes every week?Should I move heaven and earth to "handcuff" my quarterback (Chad Henne) to a receiver who apparently catches 100 balls in his sleep (Brandon Marshall)?

2. Bush & 'Strategery' ... Together AgainDo you remember my draft-day strategy for standard-scoring leagues, advising owners to go RB-WR-RB-RB in the first four rounds? Well, the opposite holds true in PPRs (at least for those without a top-4 pick). Bottom line: You can never have enough receivers averaging eight-plus targets per game; and when it's time to draft a running back, always go with the guy who's a lock for at least 35 receptions. As far as names go, prioritize Larry Fitzgerald, Roddy White, Anquan Boldin and both Steve Smiths at wideout, and Bush, Joseph Addai and Tim Hightower at tailback. Each player's PPR value is markedly better than standard-scoring leagues -- especially for leagues that award extra points for kick- or punt-return touchdowns.

3. Respect The Rice-Harvin-McCluster TroikaAs you'll clearly see in this James Michener-esque column (read: way too long), I'm an absolute slappy for targets in the PPR realm. "Targets" are simply the number of times a receiver, running back or tight end is thrown to. You know who sees a ton of targets? Ray Rice. So much that you'll wonder if it's actually fair for this 2,000-yard threat to collect 24-27 touches in Baltimore's rock-steady offense.

Also, Percy Harvin and Dexter McCluster think and act like running backs, but are classified as receivers in fantasyland. That should move any PPR owner to tears upon landing 'em for pennies on the dollar. Obviously, Harvin's migraine headaches could wreak havoc on any given Sunday, but that highly publicized illness could also work in your favor. Before the migraines, Harvin was a Round 5 PPR pick; in the post-hospitalization realm, Round 7 or 8. As for McCluster, the question isn't, "What will Chiefs offensive coordinator Charlie Weis do for Dexter's game as a rookie?" It should be, What won't Charlie Weis do for McCluster, likely to be one of the league's best in-space runners?

4. Laugh In The Face Of S-Jax DangerIf you can help it, please don't let Steven Jackson slide out of Round 1. Yes, his receptions have totaled 38, 40 and 51 in the past three seasons -- a far cry from his 90 in 2006; yes, he's stuck in the NFL's least progressive passing offense (the Rams); and yes, he had back surgery in the offseason (no back procedure can ever be construed as "minor"). But, when healthy, Jackson (1,738 total yards, 4 TDs in '09) is still a top-10 talent and one of the toughest plowhorses to tackle.

5. Quarterbacks Can WaitThis cannot be stated enough: In 10- or 12-team leagues, there should never be any to-die-for incentive to splurge for a quarterback early on -- unless Drew Brees,Peyton Manning or Aaron Rodgers freefalls into Round 3. Once that trio comes off the board, resume your time-tested strategy of letting QBs fall into Rounds 6-9.

Here are the first four rounds of my real PPR draft from the weekend. I drew the 9th slot for this 12-team league, but invariably traded my Rounds 1 and 7 picks (9/88 overall) for my friend's Rounds 2 and 4 choices (19/43 overall), eventually helping me grab eight players in the first 67 slots:

Last year in this space, I boldly predicted Sidney Rice -- coming off a 15-catch debacle in 2008 -- would amass 1,150 receiving yards and seven TDs with Sage Rosenfels as his starting quarterback. Of course, that was before Brett Favre officially entered the Purple picture and helped Rice pull down 83 catches for 1,312 yards and eight touchdowns.

On the heels of a breakout campaign, Rice has obviously graduated from eminently replaceable asset to highly coveted receiver in fantasyland. But his ascension will likely have a vaccuum effect with fantasy owners, as we try to find a new stud out of the rubble of receivers with 30 or fewer catches last season. And in my tireless search for the next Sidney Rice -- an 1,100-yard receiver from Round 10 or lower (standard drafts) -- I've established this criteria:

1. Each WR (save Laurent Robinson) has a veteran QB tossing him the ball. 2. Each WR has the measurables (size, speed, hands) to be a future No. 1 in real-world circles. 3. Each receiver has little or no competition within their respective teams, fueling a potential breakout.

This year's hunch pick: Devin Thomas. He isWashington's second-round pick from 2008 and a fellow Michigan State alum. Yes, Thomas only had one great game last year (7 catches, 100 yards, 2 TDs vs. New Orleans); and yes, he probably won't have Donovan McNabb's complete trust early in the season, ceding red-zone targets to Santana Moss, Chris Cooley and Fred Davis. But IF the Redskins harbor any hopes of being competitive in the NFC East and contending for a wild card slot, Thomas must become the passing game's most viable between-the-20s option. He's a physical dynamo who just needs time to channel his inner-DeSean Jackson.

Understandably, fantasy owners only care about receptions, yards and TDs when it comes to wide receivers and tight ends. But I'd like to incorporate another crucial stat into Clicks -- one that directly affects the three primary categories: First downs earned off receptions. Here are the top-25 active wideouts and tight ends who expertly moved the chains in 2009:

Sports Illustrated and SI.com should always be your primary source for voluminous information leading up to fantasy drafts. If you're in the mood to participate in a LIVE mock draft on the Web -- while learning NOT to reach for Bernard Berrian before Round 12 -- here are the best destinations for real-time mocking:

... My speculative PPR picks for the 14th round (166 overall) were none other than Jamaal Charles and Sidney Rice -- my Rounds 2 and 3 picks from above. How cool is that? Hmmm,I guess Arrelious Benn and Dexter McCluster will be predraft studs this time next year.

... The greatest two-play sequence in NFL history, a memory that inexplicably gets minimal love with NFL Films and has been erased from the minds of the video-montage experts at ESPN. (By now, you've undoubtedly clicked on Browns @ Vikings, circa 1980, and have already stopped reading.) Tell me: When was the last time an NFL club clinched a division crown on a Hail Mary pass at the gun with a long-yardage flea-flicker on the preceding play? The answer: never.

One last thing: Am I wrong to hail longtime NBC announcer Charlie Jones asone of the most impactful sportscasters of our time? How fitting the late, great Jones called the most surreal NFL ending that no one remembers.

Jay Clemons can be found on Twitter, day and night, answering your fantasy questions. You can also read his award-winning Revelations every Sunday/Monday during the NFL season.

Looking for past editions of the Clicks? Check out everything you may have missed.